Using wheel orientation to determine future heading

Abstract

The technology relates to determining a future heading of an object. In order to do so, sensor data, including information identifying a bounding box representing an object in a vehicle's environment and locations of sensor data points corresponding to the object, may be received. Based on dimensions of the bounding box, an area corresponding to a wheel of the object may be identified. An orientation of the wheel may then be estimated based on the sensor data points having locations within the area. The estimation may then be used to determine a future heading of the object.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 detecting, by one or more processors of a vehicle, an object in an environment of the vehicle; 
 estimating, by the one or more processors, a location of a three-dimensional (3D) area corresponding to an expected location of a wheel of the object; 
 controlling, by the one or more processors, the vehicle based on the estimated expected location of the 3D area. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the estimating comprises:
 accessing, by the one or more processors, information identifying expected wheel locations for different vehicle sizes. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the estimating is performed based on the information. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the estimating comprises:
 accessing, by the one or more processors, information identifying expected wheel locations for different vehicle types. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the estimating is performed based on the information. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the estimating is performed based on a heading of the object. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the estimating comprises:
 analyzing, by the one or more processors, data points within the 3D area to identify an average orientation of the data points. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the one or more processors, sensor data including information identifying the object. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the sensor data includes a bounding box that bounds data points corresponding to the object. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the bounding box includes a first plane and a second plane, the method further comprising:
 estimating, by the one or more processors, an orientation of the object based on an angular difference between the first plane and the second plane. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the 3D area is a cylinder having a height corresponding to a width of the wheel of the object. 
     
     
       12. A system comprising:
 a memory; and 
 one or more processors coupled with the memory, the one or more processors configured to:
 detect an object in an environment of a vehicle; 
 estimate a location of a three-dimensional (3D) area corresponding to an expected location of a wheel of the object; and 
 control the vehicle based on the estimated location of the 3D area. 
 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the system is comprised by the vehicle. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to access information identifying expected wheel locations for different vehicle sizes. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to estimate the location of the 3D area based on the information. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to access information identifying expected wheel locations for different vehicle types. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the 3D area is a cylinder having a height corresponding to a width of the wheel of the object. 
     
     
       18. A non-transitory recording medium on which instructions are stored, the instructions when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:
 detecting an object in an environment of a vehicle; 
 estimating a location of a three-dimensional (3D) area corresponding to an expected location of a wheel of the object; 
 controlling the vehicle based on the estimated location of the 3D area. 
 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory recording medium of  claim 18 , wherein the estimating comprises:
 accessing information identifying expected wheel locations for different vehicle sizes. 
 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory recording medium of  claim 19 , wherein the estimating is performed based on the information. 
     
     
       21. The non-transitory recording medium of  claim 18 , wherein the estimating comprises:
 accessing information identifying expected wheel locations for different vehicle types. 
 
     
     
       22. The non-transitory recording medium of  claim 21 , wherein the estimating is performed based on the information. 
     
     
       23. The non-transitory recording medium of  claim 18 , wherein the 3D area is a cylinder having a height corresponding to a width of the wheel of the object.